Propinquity II
by lucawindmover
Summary: Propinquity, meaning a nearness in location. Here is a glimpse of friendship between Ron and Hermione in a muggle camping experience with Mr. and Mrs. Granger.


"Propinquity II"

By Lucawindmover

* * *

><p>Hermione Granger smiled at one of her father's terrible jokes and turned the page of her book. Sitting next to her in the backseat of her parents' car was Ron Weasley, one of her best friends. He forced a chuckle at the same joke. Hermione knew that Ron was trying for her benefit, but there was just a lot he didn't know about muggles. He couldn't get heads or tails from any of her father's jokes for that reason. But he laughed politely anyway and tried to contribute to the conversations and Hermione believed he was doing an admirable job.<p>

She was really surprised that it hadn't taken more convincing than it had to get him to come muggle camping with her and her parents. She had only had to owl him once to ask, and then once with the details of their arrangements, timing, and meeting and whatnot. The Weasley's had been a little nervous to let Ron go, but after giving it some thought, figured that Hermione's parents would be sufficient chaperones for their youngest son.

Now they were almost to the camp grounds where they would be spending the next few days in a tent. The family only had one tent, and not a big one at that, so the four of them would be sleeping in quite a small space. Ron had no idea just how small, as he was used to wizard tents that could actually be three or four times as big on the inside as they were on the outside. He was in for a surprise.

"So, Ron, tell us about school. How are your grades? What are your favorite courses?" Mrs. Granger asked from the front seat.

Hermione watched out of the corner of her eye as Ron began to go a little red around his ears. She had learned well over the years that this was the first place his blushing started. She couldn't imagine why he'd be so nervous just talking about school, but figured it must have just been a boy thing.

"Well, I dunno really. I passed all of my exams. I've got normal grades I suppose. Nothing nearly as impressive as our Hermione here," Ron said, gesturing at Hermione. "But they're decent. I guess I don't really have a favorite class either. Well, I really liked Defense Against the Dark Arts when Professor Lupin was teaching. But he resigned."

"Oh? Why would he resign?" Mr. Granger asked.

Hermione cleared her throat as a sign for Ron not to answer. Apparently she hadn't told them that one of her favorite teachers had been a werewolf. "Well, Professor Lupin has a long-standing illness. He had to miss a few classes and was afraid that his tardiness would affect our learning. I wished he would have stayed, but he says that it was for the best. He gets more rest this way."

Mrs. Granger turned slightly in her seat. "Oh dear, it isn't life-threatening, is it?"

"Well, yeah, of course it is!" Ron said before realizing what he'd said.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger both gasped.

"It's life-threatening if it isn't treated properly. And now that he isn't teaching, he's had more time to take care of himself," Hermione added, hearing sighs of relief from her parents. She shot a glare at Ron who shrugged his shoulders and mouthed the word "what?"

Hermione shook her head and turned to look out the window. She couldn't contain her grin as their car passed the Twin Pines Campground sign and turned onto the long, gravel road. She had so many happy memories of camping here with her parents in her youth. Hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and sleeping beneath the trees were memories she held close to her heart.

"So Ron, tell us about Wizard camping," Mr. Granger said, glancing in the rearview mirror.

Ron shifted in his seat a little awkwardly. Hermione forced herself to keep looking out the window in order to keep herself from laughing at the blush she knew was creeping down his neck.

"Well, I haven't actually been Wizard camping or muggle camping before. But we did sleep in a tent once when we went to the Quidditch World Cup. Does that count?" Ron asked.

Mr. Granger chuckled. "Of course it counts, my boy. You were roughing it, were you not?"

Hermione bit her tongue.

"Well yeah," Ron answered, growing a bit more confident. "The tents we had were pretty small. And we had to walk a bit to get water. My dad even insisted on making a fire with matches instead of magic. We really were roughing it."

Hermione saw her mother smile and pass a knowing look to her father. "Sounds like it," she said.

"Well, looks like we're here," Mr. Granger announced as they pulled off the gravel road and onto a dirt path. The path led quite a ways into a wooded area, leading them to a small clearing near a quiet stream. He parked the car and Hermione jumped out so quickly that Ron thought she must have Apparated.

"Come on Ron! I have so much to show you," Hermione said rushing out in the direction of the stream.

"Hold on one minute there, Miss Granger," Mrs. Granger said in a tone that reminded Ron of his own mother. "You're always rushing off and trying to play without helping out with setting up. Get back here and help your father and I unload."

Hermione grumbled under her breath, which Ron found really amusing as it was unlike her, and turned back to the small trailer attached to the back of their car. Ron helped unload as well and it didn't take the four of them long to have everything out and ready to assemble.

"So you've never put up a muggle tent then?" Mr. Granger said pulling Ron aside and motioning for him to help. Ron shook his head and began helping him with the assembly.

Over by a picnic table set up for the campers, Hermione helped her mother tie up a tarp in case of rain. It would protect their food and perishables if the weather decided to turn foul. After they finished this, Mrs. Granger pulled Hermione aside to the creek bank, saying that they needed to have a talk.

"What is it Mum?" Hermione asked, taking a seat at the edge of the stream. She took this opportunity to take her shoes off and dip her feet in the cool water.

Mrs. Granger sat beside her and did the same, setting her shoes to the side with Hermione's. "Well, I just wanted to ask you about your relationship with Ron."

Hermione whipped her head to the side to look at her mother. "Mum! Are you implying that there is something going on between me and Ron?"

"Well, is there?" Mrs. Granger asked.

Hermione stuttered a little. "Well, I don't think so. I mean, we're good friends, best mates even. We have been for such a long time. Well, we argue a good bit, but friends do that, right?"

Mrs. Granger laughed lightly. "Oh Hermione, of course. I just thought the two of you might be dating."

At this, Hermione blushed furiously. "Mum, what would make you think that?"

Mrs. Granger stared out over the rushing stream. The morning sunlight fell through the trees in shafts, making the water look as if it were polka-dotted. Hermione glanced at her mother who seemed to be off in thought.

After a few moments, Mrs. Granger began. "Hermione, let me tell you a story. When I was in school, I had two really good friends. One was a girl I had grown up next to and another was a boy that I met when I got to school. This boy and I were friends, but he used to grind my nerves like no one else could. When we all finally graduated and I went off to University, I realized how badly I missed the boy who I couldn't get along with."

"Well, what happened to him?" Hermione asked.

Mrs. Granger grinned. "I married him a year later."

Hermione smiled. "Are you saying that I'm in love with Ron?"

"I'm not saying that you are," Mrs. Granger responded. "Just saying that the possibility is there."

Hermione leaned back on her hands and sighed. She knew what her feelings for the lanky red-head were, but she'd never realized that someone else might pick up on them, for surely Ron never had.

"But something I feel we do need to do is have 'The Talk' before you start dating," Mrs. Granger said, teasing.

"Mother!" Hermione shrieked, mortified at her mother's implications. Mrs. Granger threw her arms around her daughter and the two of them fell to the ground in a fit of laughter.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Mr. Granger and Ron had finished setting up the tent. Ron was looking at it, skeptically, as Mr. Granger tapped in the last peg. He stood up and dusted his hands on his pants. "There, we're finished."<p>

"Are we?" Ron asked. He brushed a thin layer of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

"We sure are. Take a look inside while I grab the sleeping bags," Mr. Granger said, motioning for Ron to go inside the tent.

Ron shrugged and unzipped the tent. The zipper in itself was foreign to him, but he was really flummoxed upon looking inside. The tent was just barely big enough on the inside to fit four people. He figured it must be bigger on the inside and crawled in to find that it hadn't been a trick of the light. The tent was really this small. And on top of that, there were no beds, tables, chairs, bathrooms, or anything else for that matter. Just an empty tent.

Mr. Granger returned with sleeping bags tucked under his arms. "Give me a hand with these, will you?"

Ron grabbed two of the sleeping bags and moved to the side for Mr. Granger to enter. "Is it supposed to be this small in here?"

Mr. Granger chuckled. Neither of them could stand up, just crouch. He moved over to one side of the tent and began spreading out the two sleeping bags that he held. "Always has been and always will be, I'm afraid. But you said that the tents you slept in were small, right?"

Ron grimaced. They had been small houses compared to where they were now. "Yeah, this is small."

Mr. Granger smiled and began showing Ron how to properly roll out the sleeping bags. When they were finished, Mr. Granger sat down on one of them and motioned for Ron to sit next to him.

"Ron, I'd like to talk to you about something rather important, if you don't mind," Mr. Granger started.

Ron gulped. He didn't like the sound of this. "Sure thing, Mr. Granger. I don't mind."

"Well, it concerns my daughter. I'll just come out and ask," Mr. Granger said, clearing his throat. "What are your intentions with my daughter?"

Ron coughed loudly. "Intentions, sir?"

"Yes, intentions. What are your feelings for my daughter?"

Ron wasn't quite sure how to answer. "Well, she's one of my very best mates, has been since first year. I don't know what else to say."

Mr. Granger furrowed his brow. "You mean to tell me that you have no romantic inclinations toward her?"

Ron shrugged, blushing terribly. "Well, not right now. I guess that's not to say that I never could, I just, I don't know. I don't want to mess up our friendship. She's one of my best mates, you know?"

Mr. Granger nodded, knowingly. "Well, I thought I would ask because that's what fathers do. I also wanted to say that I don't want to see her hurt. I like you. I'd hate to have to hurt you."

Ron's eyes widened for a moment before seeing the joking expression on Mr. Granger's face. "You know I wouldn't do her wrong, right?"

Mr. Granger took Ron's hand and clasped it. "I know that you're a good young man, Mr. Weasley, or else you wouldn't be Hermione's best friend."

Ron beamed. The two of them then finished setting the blankets and pillows in the tent.

* * *

><p>The rest of the afternoon was spent setting up the remainder of the camping supplies. Mr. Granger showed Ron how to build a fire the muggle way, Hermione taught him how to roast marshmallows, and he helped Mrs. Granger wash their dishes in the stream after their early dinner.<p>

It was nearing sundown when Hermione remembered one of her favorite things about camping. Near their campsite was a hill overlooking the stream and forest. It was only a short walk through the woods and a great place to catch fireflies and watch the sunset.

Hermione asked her parents if they would like to join them in the hike to the hill but they passed, saying something about having some time to themselves. Hermione shrugged and grabbed Ron's hand, pulling him toward the path through the woods.

"So, what do you think about muggle camping so far?" Hermione asked. She let go of his hand as they stepped on the path. She was thankful that they were in shadows mostly, so her blush wouldn't be as noticeable.

Ron shrugged. "It's okay."

"It's okay? That's it?" Hermione teased.

Ron threw his hands in the air. "Fine, it's the most wonderful, exhilarating thing I've ever experienced in my life."

Hermione sighed. "You don't have to lie if you don't like it."

"I'm not lying, really. I do like it and all, it's just, well," Ron hesitated, as if he really didn't want to say what was coming next. "It's just that your father made me a little uncomfortable."

Hermione looked at him, puzzled. "Really? How's that?"

"He seemed to think that you and I are," Ron looked around as if someone were spying on them before whispering, "involved."

Hermione flushed scarlet at hearing these words from him. She then realized that her mother and father were probably in on this together.

"Well, what did you tell him?" she asked, looking pointedly at the ground.

Ron stumbled. Not only had her question caught him off guard but the ground had begun to slope upward as they came closer to the top of the hill. "Well, I told him that you were my best mate."

"My mother seemed to think there was something going on between us as well. I told her the same thing," Hermione responded, panting slightly. The trees had thinned out and they were reaching the apex of the mound.

"Seriously?" Ron asked.

"Seriously," Hermione answered.

There was a silence between them as they reached the top and looked out over a small valley. The sun was just about to set on the horizon, bathing everything in a rosy light. Someone, ages ago, had built a small bench here and Hermione and Ron took their seats on it. The chorus of insects and night creatures had begun and the sound was refreshing to Hermione, who lived in town. She had really missed this place, and was really happy to be sharing it with Ron.

"I'm your best mate?" Ron asked quietly, after a few minutes.

Hermione turned to him and smiled. "Of course you are."

Ron grinned and looked back out over the valley. His belly was squirming at Hermione's propinquity, but he just sighed.

As if on cue, Hermione took one of his hands in hers and held it. Just held it and watched the sun sink past the edge of the world.

"And you always will be," she whispered.

* * *

><p>AN: I love a little fluff. What do you guys think?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. J.K. Rowling is the genius behind Harry Potter and those things related to Harry Potter. I just enjoy tormenting the wonderful characters she has created for us.

Update: As of July 5, 2011, this is a completed story. I wrote it several ago, before the last book came out. All of my Harry Potter fanfiction used to be posted on another site. I've recently decided to move all of my finished stories here. Thank you for reading and please review.

Also, I now have set up a separate Facebook account for my writing! www . facebook . com/Lucawindmover (minus the spaces). This is a great way to keep informed about updates, brainstorming, ask questions and give feedback. For authors, it's a great way to bounce ideas and keep in touch. I hope you will all friend-request me. It's been a lot of fun using this account to keep up with writing!


End file.
